Short Round's DC-3 Cargo Machine Gun (with Tripod and Ammunition)

A heavy, belt-fed machine gun mounted on a **compact tripod**, originally stored in the DC-3's cargo compartment. During the biplane attack, Short Round hauls it into the passenger cabin, positions it by the open door, and fires sustained bursts at pursuing enemy aircraft. Willie Scott assists by feeding the ammunition belt. The gun's recoil and swiveling barrel down an enemy plane before accidentally striking the DC-3's engine, causing catastrophic damage. The **tripod stabilizes the weapon**, enabling accurate fire, while **hot brass shell casings** scatter across the cabin floor during the firefight. The gun and tripod remain in the cabin afterward, warm and spent, amid the chaos.

4 appearances

Purpose

Fire suppressive bursts at attacking biplanes from the jury-rigged position in the DC-3 passenger cabin

Significance

Short Round's bold use defends the plane temporarily but accidentally destroys the engine, forcing the crash-landing in India and thrusting the trio deeper into the Thuggee cult's dangers

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

4 moments

S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

Indy’s Awakening: From Fedora to Firefight—The Cult’s First Strike

Short Round’s machine gun is a critical tool in the defense of the plane. He retrieves it from the cargo compartment, mounts it on a tripod, and fires bursts at the pursuing biplanes. The gun’s explosive power down one plane but accidentally hits the DC-3’s engine, causing a critical failure. Its status shifts from being stored in the cargo hold to being used and then abandoned after the engine is damaged.

Before: Stored in the cargo compartment, unused but available.

After: Used to down a biplane but causes engine damage; abandoned after the attack.

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S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

Descent into Chaos: The Parachute Struggle and the Fall of the Co-Pilot

Short Round hauls a heavy machine gun from the DC-3’s cargo compartment and mounts it at the open door, using it to shoot down one of the enemy biplanes. However, his inexperience leads him to accidentally destroy one of the plane’s engines, causing a catastrophic explosion that dooms the aircraft. The machine gun’s use is a turning point in the event, shifting the dynamic from defense to outright destruction and forcing the group to abandon the plane entirely.

Before: Stored in the cargo compartment of the DC-3, unused but available for emergency defense.

After: Spent and damaged after being used to shoot down an enemy plane and accidentally destroy the DC-3’s engine.

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S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

Indy’s Desperate Aerial Rescue: From Cockpit to Crash

Short Round’s machine gun is a critical tool in the aerial battle, mounted on a tripod and fired by the young boy to defend the plane. Though his efforts ultimately backfire—hitting the DC-3’s engine and dooming the aircraft—his bravery and quick thinking are on full display. The machine gun symbolizes the trio’s desperate fight for survival, a last-ditch effort to turn the tide against overwhelming odds. Its role in the event is that of a double-edged sword: a weapon of defense that becomes an instrument of destruction, underscoring the high stakes and the fragility of their situation.

Before: Stored in the plane’s cargo compartment, unused until Short Round hauls it into the cabin.

After: Spent and smoking after the battle, its ammunition belt partially expended. It has played its part in the sequence, though not without consequence.

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S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

Descent into Chaos: From Sky Battle to Ominous Arrival in India

Short Round retrieves the machine gun from the DC-3's cargo hold and mounts it on a tripod by the open door, using it to fire at the attacking biplanes. His actions down one enemy plane but accidentally hit the DC-3's engine, causing a catastrophic explosion that dooms the aircraft. The machine gun is a symbol of the protagonists' desperate resistance against overwhelming odds, but its use also highlights the unintended consequences of their actions. The weapon's role in the event is dual-edged: it provides a momentary sense of agency and defiance, but it also accelerates the plane's destruction, forcing the protagonists into an even more precarious situation. Its abandonment in the wreckage of the DC-3 marks the end of their reliance on firepower and the beginning of their struggle for survival.

Before: Stored in the cargo hold of the DC-3, unused and dormant until Short Round retrieves it during the aerial assault.

After: Abandoned in the wreckage of the DC-3 after its use causes the engine to explode, rendering it useless in the subsequent escape.

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